Demetrious Johnson: I have a family to worry about, not critics
UFC flyweight champion Demetrious Johnson never stops moving and never stops fighting for a finish. That's why he's been able to finish so many of his recent opponents, and why he was able to break the record for the latest submission finish in UFC history when he arm barred Kyoji Horiguchi with one second left in the fight.
Despite five hard rounds of competitive fighting against the durable young contender, Johnson recently told Submission Radio that he stayed confident he could finish him. "I was very confident I was going to be able to finish the submission," he said.
"As long as I got myself in that right position to finish it, I knew I would be able to finish it. It was just the matter of time, me taking the risk to getting there, and I had no concept about how much time was left in the round. I just heard my coach Matt [Hume] yelling at me, saying 'armbar! Armbar!' Then, eventually, I was like, 'you know, I'm gonna hit it,' and I stepped over and banged it out."
Some Montreal fans in attendance left the arena before the finish for some reason but the champion says their indifference didn't tarnish the moment for him. "Not at all," he said.
"Because, it's my moment and it was very special for myself and the fans who stayed and watched it, and the people who tuned in."
Overall, Johnson says that the fact that fan support hasn't caught up to his pound-for-pound great status quite just yet bothers him, but doesn't define him. "It's hard, but I don't let it get to me," he said.
In the end, there are much more important things in the husband and father's life than the support of strangers who can't appreciate fine fighting. "I have a family, a beautiful wife and a life to be worrying about, [rather] than to let other people's thoughts or comments get to me," he said.
"At the end of the day, you just gotta keep on doing what's best for you and that's being positive and surrounding yourself with very positive people. And that's what keeps me motivated and keeps me going."
Johnson will have to sit upon his throne for a bit while the next top contender is sorted out. At present, it seems that there is a good chance that man could be John Dodson, who returns from a long, injury-induced absence, at UFC 187 against Zach Makovsky.
Dodson gave Johnson perhaps his stiffest test as champion when they first fought, back in 2013. The challenger has been talking a big game and clearly wants a rematch with the champion.
Count Johnson in. "Absolutely," he said.
"This is the UFC and I'm looking to fight the best fighters out there. With that being said, it's looking like John Dodson, but if Zach Makovsky gets past him, it could be him."
Should he square up once more against his bitter rival Dodson, "Mighty Mouse" is confident that he'll not just win again, but do so in a more dominating fashion.
"I see the meeting going very differently. Obviously I expect myself to come out with the victory, but it's almost been what, maybe two years since we fought? And I've grown so much as an athlete and so has he," he said.
Johnson's championship experience, combined with Dodson's ACL injury and long lay-off, could spell success for the defending champion in a rematch. "You know, him overcoming ACL surgery, and he's going to have his first chance to come out here and fight a pretty tough opponent," Johnson said of Dodson.
"But you know my game has evolved and I've been working on my ground game, my stand up game, and just my overall awareness. And I've been fighting guys that have been pretty tough, and I always tell people that it's good for me to go the five rounds, because I'm pushing the whole entire time in those 5 rounds instead of landing that one-shot KO punch on somebody. It's always good to have that too, but I think it's better for a champion and an athlete to go those five rounds, and to endure and push and put a beating on somebody."
